• JBgotM
  • Ripened Lemon
  • Offline
  • From: Cedar Falls, IA
  • Registered: 2010-07-26
  • Posts: 112

Topic: Homemade Headers

We all know putting nice headers on a car pretty much makes you a cheaty bastard (even though its chetiness is assumed anyway) and laps are given. Let's say you make your own headers Lemons style with some basic aluminized pipe laying around. We thought about getting crative with the exhaust maybe with Cobra style side pipe or something. Don't don't expect alot of hp gains or anything, more for the sake of doing it. Deserving of penalty laps or free to be creative as long as its cheap?

  • BoB
  • BoB
  • Lemons Staff Stalker
  • Offline
  • From: Elmhurst, IL
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 4,206

Re: Homemade Headers

Just add the cost of the materials and you should be fine.  You might want some pictures of you fabricating it as proof that you built it, especially if they turn out looking nice or atleast doesn't like a bunch of blind chimps built it while high on drugs.  If the materials are things you have left over from other products just assign it realistic market value to be safe.

Racing 4 Nickels - 1989 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera
2011 SHOWROOM-SCHLOCK SHOOTOUT  IOE Winner
2012 The Chubba Cheddar Enduro Class C winner
Facebook Page

BoB's Website

  • From: Land Of Subarus, Colorado
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 9,416

Re: Homemade Headers

We've seen homemade headers (and intakes) before. You show us photos of the build and account for materials costs and we won't care how nice your headers look.

Murilee Martin aka Judge Phil on Facebook
Murilee Martin on Twitter
Judge Phil's Lemons posts on Car and Driver
MurileeMartin.com

Judge Phil's Website

  • From: Santa Margarita, CA
  • Registered: 2009-06-03
  • Posts: 177

Re: Homemade Headers

You'd need to know a lot about the engine and how to model it in Solidworks or something to get the pulses and flows right, otherwise you might not be any better off than craptastic manifold-cats.

Team Dai Hard Home Page

1989 Daihatsu Charade

djcommie's Website

  • jw33
  • jw33
  • Ripened Lemon
  • Offline
  • From: America, these colors dont run
  • Registered: 2009-05-09
  • Posts: 221

Re: Homemade Headers

Everyone knows peak hp winz Lemons races.....

Shake and Bake
America, birthplace of the missionary position. You're welcome...
  • From: Baltimore, MD
  • Registered: 2010-05-20
  • Posts: 1,745

Re: Homemade Headers

djcommie wrote:

You'd need to know a lot about the engine and how to model it in Solidworks or something to get the pulses and flows right, otherwise you might not be any better off than craptastic manifold-cats.

Solidworks: Because Lemons-grade manufacturing tolerances are THAT GOOD.

Driver, Pit Monkey, Rod Buster and Engine Fire Starter
Team FinalGear
  • Zach
  • Paddock Rat
  • Offline
  • From: DFW
  • Registered: 2010-06-07
  • Posts: 36

Re: Homemade Headers

djcommie wrote:

You'd need to know a lot about the engine and how to model it in Solidworks or something to get the pulses and flows right, otherwise you might not be any better off than craptastic manifold-cats.

Says the operator of a Daihatsu Charade. This is Lemons we're talking about smile

Amateur Welder, Professional Grinder

No seriously, what could go wrong?
  • trekkor
  • trekkor
  • Lemons Staff Stalker
  • Offline
  • From: Napa, Ca
  • Registered: 2009-08-26
  • Posts: 2,124

Re: Homemade Headers

I have an old 6 into 1 tee-pee header for a 911 engine that has been rusting away in my back yard for 5 years I want to use as a header for our Ford.


KT

TH 2009- 40th ~ SP 2010- 13th Class Bad win!! TH 2010- 17th ~TH 2010- 16th  SP 2011- 20th ~ RF 2011- 13th Least Horrible Yank Tank ~ TH 2011- 79th
SP 2011- 105th ~ SP 2012- 119th ~ SP 2013- 139th ~ BW 2013- 17th
Follow Filthy on Facebook: Flailing Lizard Motorsports
  • JBgotM
  • Ripened Lemon
  • Offline
  • From: Cedar Falls, IA
  • Registered: 2010-07-26
  • Posts: 112

Re: Homemade Headers

EyeMWing wrote:
djcommie wrote:

You'd need to know a lot about the engine and how to model it in Solidworks or something to get the pulses and flows right, otherwise you might not be any better off than craptastic manifold-cats.

Solidworks: Because Lemons-grade manufacturing tolerances are THAT GOOD.

I actually have Solid Works and Ricardo Wave. I can design them and run all the flow simluations if I want....but I doubt I would do that. That would be as ridiculous as running engine flow simluations on a Lemons race car.

I'm more concerned with an intake manifold I have due within the next week! (not for the Lemons car)

  • Serj
  • Serj
  • Lemons Staff Stalker
  • Offline
  • From: Cincinnati, OH
  • Registered: 2009-05-02
  • Posts: 1,601

Re: Homemade Headers

just make your headers from 2" square tube. pretty sure you can skip documentation at that point. smile

  • From: Choctaw, Oklahoma
  • Registered: 2009-11-12
  • Posts: 2,144

Re: Homemade Headers

Headers put off too much heat. Be careful or you'll cook all your wiring and your transmission cooler. You might have to put some heat shields in place to keep heat off sensitive items.

Also, be very careful welding galvanized pipe. You want a lot of ventilation or at the very least you'll get a nasty headache.

  • Riktor
  • Riktor
  • Lemons Staff Stalker
  • Offline
  • From: Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas
  • Registered: 2009-08-06
  • Posts: 1,138

Re: Homemade Headers

EriktheAwful wrote:

Headers put off too much heat. Be careful or you'll cook all your wiring and your transmission cooler. You might have to put some heat shields in place to keep heat off sensitive items.

Also, be very careful welding galvanized pipe. You want a lot of ventilation or at the very least you'll get a nasty headache.

CERAMIC COAT!!!!

Sons of STIG
Judge Jonny, "So, what's the next formerly thought to be immune from winning that will steal the nickels?An MR2? A Fierro (ha ha ha)? A Datsun/Nissan Z? A Camaro?"
  • Car54
  • Paddock Rat
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2010-11-04
  • Posts: 45

Re: Homemade Headers

Hey JBgotM!  <wave>

  • JBgotM
  • Ripened Lemon
  • Offline
  • From: Cedar Falls, IA
  • Registered: 2010-07-26
  • Posts: 112

Re: Homemade Headers

Car54 wrote:

Hey JBgotM!  <wave>

I was wondering if you were the same Car54 I already knew. Welcome to the madness! Now you know why you don't see me so much on the other forum.